# Making \multlined behave like \multline

Consider the following:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}

$$\begin{multlined} a = b = c = d = e\\ = f = g = h = i = j \end{multlined}$$

\begin{multline}
a = b = c = d = e\\
= f = g = h = i = j
\end{multline}

\end{document}


When using multlined, the equation is completely centred on both lines, whereas when using multline, the first line is flushed left while all subsequent lines are flushed right. I prefer the latter.

On the other hand, I tend to use the multlined environment, as it centres the equation labels nicely.

So: Is there any way of changing the alignment of the multlined environment to something like that of the multline environment?

Many thanks.

• multilined flushes the first line left and the second right in the same way but in a text block that fits the width of the lines. multiline does the same but in a block that fits the width of the page. (same with aligned v align and gathered v gather) Apr 24, 2020 at 20:59

There is a reason for having the equation number at the bottom, with multline: that's where the equation ends.

You can tell multlined to get wider (the measurement could be more precise). But why?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}

$$\mathtoolsset{multlined-width=0.9\displaywidth} \begin{multlined} a = b = c = d = e\\ = f = g = h = i = j \end{multlined}$$

\begin{multline}
a = b = c = d = e\\
= f = g = h = i = j
\end{multline}

\end{document}